The burnings have devastated more than 6,000 hectares in the region, half in the Monfragüe National Park
The fire of Casas de Miravete, in Extremadura, continues to progress unfavorably due to the wind and continues to devastate the Monfragüe National Park, where more than 3,000 hectares have already been burned. The main front is in the so-called Solana del Coto, a very dry eucalyptus area, where the fire is advancing rapidly.
At the moment it is known that two Egyptian vulture nests are affected, others of golden eagles and a camping area of imperial eagle. The fire progresses towards the Tagus River area where there are valuable areas of virgin Mediterranean forest and at least 15 nests of black vultures with their chicks inside.
Only a change in the direction of the wind and the efforts of the extinguishing media could prevent the disaster. For this reason, SEO/BirdLife has asked the Junta de Extremadura to request a reinforcement of means from the State to save Monfragüe National Park and “to have a chance if conditions improve & rdquor ;.
The largest fire began on Monday, July 11 in the afternoon in the Las Hurdes region of Cáceres and the next day it had already spread to Las Batuecas, in Salamanca. Almost simultaneously, another burning began on the slopes of the Sierra de Béjar, very close to the town of Candelario, which spread rapidly towards Extremadura, due to unfavorable wind and temperature conditions.
Finally, on Wednesday a fire extinguished last week was reactivated in the Sierra de Dios Padre, next to Las Hurdes, which further complicates the situation of the means of extinction; and then the Casas de Miravete fire was declared, which has entered the Monfragüe park.
High ecological value habitats affected
Is wave of fires is devastating in Extremadura more than 6,000 hectares of forest areas and high mountain scrub affecting, according to the preliminary analysis of SEO/BirdLife, seven spaces of the Natura 2000 Network.
These spaces house half a dozen habitats of high ecological value protected by European Union (EU) regulations and more than 20 species of vertebrates, including black vultures, black storks, royal kites, Egyptian vultures, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, common goshawks, common sparrowhawks, booted eagles, European honey buzzards, country pipit, red rock, lesser bill, bluethroat nightingale, Batuecas lizard or Asturian daffodil, among others.
Of particular concern is the impact on the black vulture, with more than 30 nests in the vicinity of the fires or already directly affected by them. SEO/BirdLife fears the complete loss of all the chicks hatched this year, since the adults will probably have left the area due to the magnitude of the event.
The black vulture has a population in Spain that has shown a positive trend in recent years, although it is still in the category of ‘near threatened’, according to the Red Book of Birds. It is the largest known population on the European continent, and the last refuge of this bird scavenger which is also the largest in Europe.
Populations of Egyptian vulture and of black stork, other species that usually still have their chicks in the nests, so many of them could have died due to the fire or due to the abandonment of the adults. Are two highly endangered species, listed at the state level as ‘vulnerable’ in the Red Book and with declining populations.
“Very difficult” conditions
SEO/BirdLife expressed its “deepest support” to the professional staff who work to try to put out these fires in “very difficult” conditions.
“We insist on the need to adapt fire management resources to the new reality derived from climate change and in dedicating resources to an adequate preventionto maintain the forest masses of natural spaces in a good state of conservation & rdquor ;, adds the NGO.
“Likewise, we show our absolute support to the people who live in the affected territories, to those who have had to leave their homes and who are seeing how their natural environment is being destroyed by the flames & rdquor ;, concludes SEO / BirdLife.
The fires have already destroyed these days in Spain almost 60,000 hectares. 33 fires have been counted only in the afternoon of last Monday, which burned more than 29,000 hectares, to which must be added the 30,000 devoured by the fire in Zamorawheretwo people have dieda forest firefighter and a rancher,another 15 have been injured and 32 locations have had to be evacuatedwhich add up to more than 5,000 neighbors.